Electromagnetic control of recording mechanisms



J. F. MERKEL 2,515,658

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL OF RECORDING mscmmzsms July 18, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1946 u t g Liflwmwwmu fi FIG.

FIG. 3.

sai '59 INVENTOR. g y film/ 24 BY M M @ATTOQNEY J. F. MERKEL 2,515,658ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL OF RECORDING MECHANISMS July 18, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1946 FIG. 9.

W (attorney Patented July 18, 1950 ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL OF RECORDINGMECHANISMS Joseph F. Merkel, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to GeneralRailway Signal Company, Rochester,

Application July 5, 1946, Serial No. 681,451

3 Claims. 1

Thi invention relates to automatic recorders, and it more particularlypertains to improvements in recorders used in connection with thedispatching of trains having pens operated by electro-responsive means.

In a recorder for centralized trafiic controlling systems it is requiredthat conditions involving the track occupancy of a large number of tracksections, the condition of the various signals along the trackway, andconditions of other traific controlling apparatus be recordedindependently on a record chart located convenient to an operator forhis reference. Such a recorder is conveniently located under atransparent panel in the desk portion of a centralized trafliccontrolling machine. The concentration of a large number of electricallyoperated recorder units in a small space as required presents problemsof lateral spacing of recorder units and of heat dissipation within aparticular restricted area.

In view of the above and other considerations, the present invention isto be considered as providing improvements in the recorder disclosed inthe prior application of Edward H. Branson, Ser. No. 619,944, filedOctober 3, 1945, now Pat. No. 2,480,443, dated August 30, 1949. In therecorder disclosed in that application, a maximum number ofindependently operated pens is provided laterally across the recordchart paper by use of hot wire operated units requiring a minimumlateral spacing of the pens, each unit being effective to provide forthe independent operation of two recorder pens. In view of therelatively large amount of current required by the hot wire operatingunits, an object of the present invention is to provide a relay operatedunit, requiring no more lateral spacing than the hot wire unit, forproviding the automatic operation of two independent pens, such unithaving an efficient electromagnetic structure to minimize the currentrequired and the heat required to be dissipated within the recorder.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate the replacementof rolls of recording paper by not only raising the relay operatingunits to allow clearance for replacement of the rolls, but raising theinkwell along with them to prevent the possibility of trapping air inthe ink tubes due to their removal from the inkwell.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the presentinvention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawing, and inpart pointed out as the description of the invention progresses.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to theaccompanying drawing in which similar reference characters are used fordesignating corresponding parts throughout the various figures, and inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the recorder with only those parts shownas are required for an understanding of the improvements in the recorderstructure as provided according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 i an elevational view of a typical relay unit of the recorder;

Fig. 3 is a left-hand end view of the relay unit shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a right-hand end view of the relay unit as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the inkwell showing the manner in which itis removably secured in position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the recorderparticularly illustrating how the recorder pens are actuated by atypical relay unit;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view with certain parts being shown in expandedrelationship illustrating a typical detail of assembly;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view with certain parts being shown in expandedrelationship illustrating the manner in which the armature hinges of arelay unit are held in assembly; and,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a section of the inkwell illustratinghow it can be readily filled.

Inasmuch as this invention provides improvements in the recorderdisclosed in the above mentioned application of Edward H. Branson, Ser.No. 619,944, dated October 3, 1945, now Pat. No. 2,480,443, dated August30, 1949, reference is to be made to that application for a morecomplete disclosure with respect to the housing of the recorder and themanner in which the electro-responsive units are hinged for the purposeof their elevation to allow replacement of the rolls of recorder paper.Thus, it is believed sufiicient for an understanding of the presentinvention to describe only the general structure and operation of partsof the recorder which are fully disclosed in that application and pointout how the improvements provided by the present invention are applied.

The recorder comprises in general a platen ill (see Fig. l) secured tothe recorder housing, a roll of recorder paper II suitably positioned inthe recorder casing and fed over the platen it at a rate of speedcomparable to the passing of time by the roller [2 having teeth 13engaging the paper. The roller is driven by a suitable constant speedmechanism such as the synchronous motor TM through a suitable gearreduction l t.

The pen associated with respective relay units are normally in alignmentwith respective longitudinal lines of the record chart paper, and areoperated to the right of such lines in accordance with their automaticcontrolto indicate conditions of track occupancy, conditions of the signals, and other conditions which facilitate the dispatching of trains byan operator of a centralized traffic control machine. The longitudinalmovement of the record chart paper in a c cordance with the passage oftime allows the paper to have printed thereon the time of day andtherefore the conditions indicated by the operation of the respectivepens are recorded as being efiective at a certain time, and. foraspar.

ticular duration of time.

The recording pens are operated by respective relay operating unitssuch, for example, as the typical unit R shown in its operating positionin Fig. 1, and shown more in" detail lit-Figs; 2, 3, 4, and 6,--eachunit providing-forthe operation of two pens. It willbe noted iromtheend-views of Figs. 3 and 4 that the typical relay unit-R occupies a-minim-um amount otspace --laterally across the record chart paper,andtherefore a maximum number of relay units cambe -disposed inalignment laterally across a given widthof record chart paper foroperation-of-double that number of recorder pen units. A mountingbracket which is hinged to-be elevated for/the purpose of facilitatingreplaeementsof :rollscfrecording paper is formedto provide abasewfor themounting of the respectiverelayunits; to extend vertically in-irontofthe relay units to provide a means for aligning eachof the units in amanner to be hereinafter described andcto extend horizontally-toiorma.cover :for theinkwell and. .also provide -by --theholes I 6locating I means. for. the respective pen operatingunits.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 6, the typical relay unitRcomprises'upperand lower coil Windings "l1 and"- ls respectively on thedipper and lower cores l9 and- 2li toprovide'upperand-lowerelectromagnetic structures. The-cores l9 andminimumthickness'incorderto maintain theorequired minimum spacing between-centersoftherespective relay units; 1 A yoke 2 l of magnetic material connects(the cores 1 9 and 20- at their right-hand ends and it issecured to thecores:

by the screws 22;

Disposed betweenthe cores it l9 and 12i! rand.

parallel thereto: is a magneticshunt23 common tures, suchshuntibeingsecured to the yoke 2| by the. screwv .24; at itsHright-hand endand-byibeing. tightlyfitted through an openingnear the center of the bracket 25;at ;.its left-hand end.

The .magnetic shunt. thus assembled is common to both upper and lowerelectromagnetic struc tures in that, it completes. magnetic circuits oflowreluctance .for operation of; thearmatures turestof each relayunituare. disposed one above the other;,.to,= maintain. minimum lateralspacing t, oi the relayunits iandibythe use of t h netic shunt which iscommon to both structures, a minimum elevational spacing is required foreach relay unit as compared to the elevational spacing that would berequired if the upper and lower magnetic circuits were required to haveentirely independent electromagnetic structures. At th left-hand end ofthe magnetic shunt, a longitudinal slot 25 is formed in' each side ofthe shunt for the purpose of hinging the armatures 3| and 32 which arelocated on opposite sides of the cores and actuated by the respectiveupper and lower electromagnetic structures.

With reference to Fig. 3, the side extensions or-- projections 29-and stof the armatures 3| and-32 'respective1yare retained within the slots 26of the shunt 23' by the screw 33 extending through .sucharmatures. Thescrew 33 is provided with suitable spacers 34 for allowingsufficient'fre movement of the armatures 3! and 32 in accordance withthe energization and deenergizationofthe respective electromagneticstructures 18 and ill witlr whichthey=- are associated.

Eachofthe armaturesis---biasedaway-fromthe core of theelectromagneticstructure with which it is associated -by-a--- leaf--spring-of 'n'onmagnetic material secured to that armature.Morespecifically, theleaf spring 35' is secured to the armature 3 l nearits hinge anddtis iormed to provide a bias-against "the headof the screw36 to .bias the armature :3 l :to al-position-tothe right of thecore- 2uexcept-when itis attracted to such core bythe energization 'ofthewindingl3.-. Similarly, the biasing :lai spring-Sbis secured to thearmature-Hil ier biasinglthat arnia ture away from the core I 9.

A penioperating. lever of non -magneticmateriatissuitably secured: to:Lea'chf: of the-armatures for providing. operation of: theresp'ectivapenoperat ing. units With referencestosFiggsv3, thedever-taextendswupwardly and isvsecured: to: the upper end..oi-the.l armature.32 .lLtO; be; operated- 1:0 (the right whenithatsarmature:.iseattracted: byenergization of. .the relay. windingazl I,while the: pen

operating lever. 3 it isusecuredz to. :lthfi armature 3! near its hingeand extendsl upwardlyad-jacent to the left-hand .side .of th'e core': lil whenthe lower winding of;the.relaygunitlis deenergized; Upon-- the.energization ofmthelower: winding lfi of 1 therelay unit, theattractionof: the .armature to the core actuatesflthe pen operatingdeven 39 to theright to cause operation of the pen operatingunitwith which-such leveris associated Obviously,-

the' pen operating lever -should--be---of non-mag netic material so asto-be -unaiiected by the -energization oi theupper winding- I 1- of therelay unit R. i.

The brackets 2 5 and 4t bf- -non-magnetic m-a-'- terial-e are suitablysecured toi; the opposite" ends a of the relay. unit R' and theyare'eused to provide a means for securing:the--re1ay= unit-R" -to'- tliemounting bracket 15. Th supporting brackets 25. and GE: are formed to beinsertedover theends of the respective-cores and the -magn'etic'-shunt Ain assembly, and slots H -areiormedat suitable positions to' provideguides ior-the wiress2, 43} 44 and 45 extendingoutwardly at the righthand end, or back, of :the. relay-unit and connected to-- wire terminals46 suitably" secured in insulating material at the bottom ofthe mountingbracket l 5. Only three terminals pen-relay :unit' I are generallyrequired lias illustrated because one terminal can generally serve asa-commonreturn for the energization of both windings' i1' and I3- Wiresextendinghfrom-the-respectiverterminals 4t with a slack loop in thecable to'allow'for theelevation ofiltherelay units v for changing therecorder paper.

With respect to the structure and operation of the penunits, it will benotedthat such units are provided of a similar structure to that fullydisclosed in the above mentioned application or E. HZ Branson, towhich'reference is to bemade for disclosure in detailasto theiroperation. It is believed suificient for the present disclosure to pointout that the pen operating unit 48 which is positioned by the penoperating lever 38, for example, comprises an ink tube 49 extendingthrough a hole 15 in the supporting bracket l into the inkwell 50, aquill 51 secured at the lefthand end of the ink tube, and a lever 52pivoted about the point of insertion of the ink tube 49 into the inkwell50 having a bifurcated end 53 for engagement with the operating lever 38so as to cause the quill 5! of the pen to be operated to the right inaccordance with the energization of the winding ll of the relay unit Rassociated with the pen operating lever 38 to cause the movement of suchlever to the left. The quill 51 of the pen unit 48 is automaticallyrestored upon deenergization of the winding I! by the leaf spring 31.

With reference to Fig. 5, a suitable mounting means is shown forremovably securing the inkwell 50 to the underside of the mountingbracket l5 at each end of the recorder. The thumb screw 54 is shown aspassing upwardly through a tube 55 suitably secured within the inkwell5b to secure the inkwell beneath the pen locating holes it in themounting bracket I 5. By the extension of the inkwell 50 slightly beyondthe bracket i5 as shown in Fig. 9, the inkwell can be readily filled byremoval of the filler cap 51.

Having thus described an automatic train recorder of a, specific type asone embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to be understoodthat this form is selected to facilitate in the disclosure of theinvention rather than to limit the number of forms which the inventionmay assume, and it is to be further understood that various adaptations,alterations and modifications may be applied to the specific form shownto meet the requirements of practice without in any manner departingfrom the spirit or scope of the present invention except as limited bythe appending claims.

What I claim is:

1. A multiple pen recorder for movable record chart paper comprising, aplurality of closely spaced pens pivotally supported for individuallateral movement in the plane of the record paper, a plurality ofoperating units each actuatin independently two adjacent pens, saidoperating units being narrow and arranged in a bank side by side, eachoperating unit comprising a narrow elongated magnetic structure havingtwo outside cores and a center core disposed in a plane generallyperpendicular to said plane of movement, a coil on each outside core,two armatures pivotally supported on the center core at one end andlaterally movable about an axis in the plane of said cores, a yoke ofmagnetic material connecting said center core at its other end to theends of said outside cores, spring means biasing said armaturesseparately to their retracted positions, and an operating connectionbetween each armature and its associated pen, said operatingconnectionifor one: armature where it'extends' adjacent the otherarmature including an element of non-magnetic material, the magnetic cirI cults for both of said armatures including said center core andiexceptfor their operating airgaps being of low reluctance to'prevent materialleakage of flux from one magnetic circuit to another, whereby'energization of one coil to operate cent'pen.

2. A multiple pen recorder for'movable record chart paper comprising, aplurality of closely spaced pens supported for individual lateralmovement in the plane of the record paper, a plurality of operatingunits each actuating independently two adjacent pens, said operatingunits being narrow and arranged in a bank side by side, each operatingunit comprising a narrow elongated magnetic structure having two outsidecores and a, center core disposed in a, plane generally perpendicular tosaid plane of pen movement, a magnetic yoke connecting said cores at oneend, said center core having a, short slot on its opposite sides nearits free end, a coil on each outside core, two armatures each havingside extensions engaging said respective slots of said center core,screw threaded means for retaining said armatures with their extensionsin their respective slots, said armatures being movable about an axis inthe plane of the cores of the operating unit, spring means biasing saidarmatures separately to their retracted positions, and an operatingconnection between each armature and its associated pen, said operatingconnection for one armature Where it extends adjacent the core for theother armature including an element of nonmagnetic material, saidmagnetic yoke and cores constituting magnetic circuits for saidarmatures having said center core in common but such magnetic circuitsbeing otherwise isolated to prevent operation of either armature byleakage fiux when the coil for operating the other armature isenergized.

3. A multiple pen recorder for movable record chart paper comprising, aplurality of closely spaced pens supported for individual lateralmovement in the plane of the record paper, a plurality of operatingunits each independently actuating two adjacent pens, said operatingunits being narrow and arranged in a, bank side by side, each operatingunit comprising a narrow elongated magnetic structure having two outsidecores and a center core disposed in a plane generally perpendicular tosaid plane of movement, a magnetic yoke for interconnecting said coresat one end of the unit, a coil on each outside core, two armaturespivotally supported on said center core on opposite sides of said unit,one armature being located adjacent the center core and one outsidecore, and the other armature being located adjacent the center core andthe other outside core, both being laterally movable about an axis inthe plane of said cores, a leaf spring of nonmagnetic material rigidlyattached to each of said armatures and extending to the outside coreadjacent the other armature, screw threaded means attached to eachoutside core on the opposite side thereof from the adjacent armature andengaging the leaf spring connected to the armature on that side of saidcores to provide an adjustable stop to determine the degree of biasapplied to each armature normally tending to move it towards itsretracted position, and an operative connection between each armatureand its respective pen, said operative connection for one armature whereit extends past the outside core for theiother armature including anelement of non-magnetic material, the magnetic circuits through saidarmatures including said center core in common with portions of saidmagnetic yoke and the respective side cores to prevent operation ofeither one of said armaturesby leakage flux when the coil for operatingthe otherv armature is energized, whereby the energization of eithercoil of the operating unit to actuate its associated pen does not causeoperation of the adjacent'pen 10 even though the operating unit includesmagnetic circuits having a center core in common.

7 o M JOSEPH, F. MERKEL.

' REFERENCES CITED following references are of record inthe file of thispatent;

'L'J'NI'I'l-ZED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,907,096 Angus May 2,1933 1,967,900 7 Perry et al July 24, 1934 2,076,676 Sigo Apr. 13, 19372,199,010 Robb Apr. 30; 1940 2,346,802 Walker Apr. 18, 1944

